Evaluation and Exploitation of Bioactive Compounds of Walnut, Juglans regia

Abstract

In the last few years, great importance has been given to natural materials (such as walnuts, peanuts, chestnuts) due to their medicinal and pharmaceutical uses induced by the presence of natural agents, including polyphenols. Juglans regia is a traditional plant that has been used since ancient times in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases like microbial infections, stomach ache, thyroid dysfunctions, cancer, heart diseases and sinusitis. Recently, scientific attention for the phytochemical profile of walnut by-products is increasing due to their valuable active constituents. Natural polyphenols are important compounds present in walnut with valuable properties that have been studied for the treatment of inflammation, cancer or anti-ageing effect. The use of nanocarriers as a drug delivery system is now a promising strategy to get more stable products and is easier to apply in a medical, therapeutic and pharmaceutical environment. The aim of this work was to review the latest information provided by scientific investigators regarding the nutritional value, bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antitumor activity of walnut by-product extracts. Moreover, this review provides comprehensive information on the nanoencapsulation of bioactive constituents for application in clinical medicine, particularly in cancer research.

Electrically Triggered Drug Delivery from Novel Electrospun Poly(Lactic Acid)/Graphene Oxide/Quercetin Fibrous Scaffolds for Wound Dressing Applications

“…The addition of Q into the formulations led to a slight decrease in the swelling rate due to the hydrophobic nature of the Q. Nevertheless, the development of microstructured delivery systems has improved the solubility and stability, while minimizing the degradation process, of these kinds of substances [ 19 , 20 ]. Thus, the samples loaded with Q showed good swelling capacity, with maximum values of 5.17% for 10%PLA/0.5%GO/Q, 4.23% for 10%PLA/0.1%GO/Q and 4.47% for 10%PLA/1%GO/Q in the first 24 h. The swelling behavior was probably influenced by the pore structure of the scaffolds.…”

“…In addition, it has been reported to exert antidiabetic effect in vivo [ 15 , 16 ], and has shown enhanced wound healing in treated individuals [ 17 , 18 ]. As a drawback, Q has low water solubility and bioavailability, and is therefore not stable for long periods of time, limiting its practical use [ 19 ]. To overcome these problems, different delivery systems have been developed, and thus, the use of Q with an appropriate carrier could improve its properties and minimize its degradation process [ 20 ].…”

Can Walnut Serve as a Magic Bullet for the Management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

“…Walnut polyphenols have been studied for treating inflammation [5]. In addition, walnut is exceptionally rich in α-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and fibers in walnut also have anti-inflammatory properties.…”

“…Thus, walnut is a natural functional food and the incorporation of walnut into the human diet is highly desirable for the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cancer, and neurocognitive disorder [4]. Walnuts, including their roots and leaves, have been traditionally used as herbal medicines for treating various conditions such as infectious disease, abdominal pain, skin disease and rheumatic pain [5,6]. Interestingly, in folk medicine, walnuts have also been used for treating liver injury, even though the efficacy remains uncertain [7].…”

Changes in morphological composition of blood in rats under intragastric load with walnut meal

“…), organic acids, phenolic compounds (hydrolysable tannins, hydroxycinnamic acids, gallic acid, ellagic acid, flavonols, etc. ), vitamins (fat-and water-soluble), micro-and macro-elements [6,7,8]. Walnut kernels have an astringent taste due to the high content of phenolic compounds with anti-cancer, anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory effects.…”